WORCESTER — Robert L. Moylan Jr., the city's public works chief, is wrapping up a 42-year distinguished career in public works, along with wrapping gifts this holiday season.

"I'm working right to the end," Mr. Moylan said. He said he planned his last day to coincide with outgoing City Manager Michael V. O'Brien's on Jan. 3. "It's usually slower around the holidays — other than the snow — and I can wrap things up."

Mr. Moylan said he was pleased that one big thing recently got wrapped up — an agreement between the Greater Worcester Land Trust and the Green Hill Park Coalition to expand the Green Hill Golf Course.

"We got the agreement signed," Mr. Moylan said. The deal was made final earlier this month.

Also on the final to-do list is to push for a synthetic turf field at Lake Park on land the state owns.

"I think that's important to the city," Mr. Moylan said.

Before packing up his personal belongings in his office, Mr. Moylan said, he wants to complete a few more reports in his last days.

And after decades of attending City Council meetings, Mr. Moylan also attended his last meeting as chief on the same night.

He laughed out loud at the memory of his first day, Nov. 22, 1971, because, he said, when he was hired, he never expected to be in the public works business for 42 years.

After receiving a degree in civil engineering, he landed his first job out of college with a firm in Boston. He worked there for 18 months, but he said he and his boss were complete opposites.

"We did not get along," Mr. Moylan said. He came home to Worcester and took the summer off. He bumped into a friend's father who was also an engineer who worked for the state. The friend's father said he could probably help him find a job here, which he did, with the city DPW.

"I was hired at the lowest level entry job on the totem pole," Mr. Moylan said. "I had no expectations, and the unemployment checks were running out. I had no intentions of staying here for long, but I did well on the civil service exams, topping them several times. Before I knew it, it was 10 years."

As head of public works, he has became nationally known for some of his innovative programs.

"We are the largest public works department in New England," Mr. Moylan said, "My belief is that we are the largest, because in numbers and scope, we are bigger than Boston. Boston has separate departments for roads and trash, lights and bridges, water and sewer, traffic and parking and parks — all are separate departments in Boston, all headed by different individuals. Here we are under one jurisdiction."

In addition to running the city Department of Public Works, one of the city's largest departments, Mr. Moylan took on the responsibility of overseeing the Parks Department when the two were merged several years ago, as well as the maintenance of the 160-acre Hope Cemetery. Also included under the large public works umbrella in Worcester is the engineering division. A component of that division is architectural services, which is responsible for the city's construction projects.

"Our engineers designed North High School," Mr. Moylan said. The city completed construction on the new $73 million building on Harrington Way on time and within budget for the opening of the 2011-12 school year.

He has been the city's point person on just about every major public construction project that has occurred during his tenure.

Those projects include the construction of new schools, the water filtration plant, municipal parking garages; the addition to the Worcester Public Library; parks renovations and infrastructure related to the development of CitySquare and the expansion of the CSX freight terminal.

Mr. Moylan, 66, characterizes himself as a hard worker. He said he had an excellent mentor — F. Worth Landers. Mr. Moylan moved up through the ranks, and at age 30, he was appointed assistant DPW commissioner, and was the youngest person ever to serve in that capacity. He then served as deputy DPW commissioner and was Mr. Landers' right-hand man for many years.

"I took pride in my work ethic," Mr. Moylan said. "I may not be smarter, but I could outwork them."

Even after Mr. Moylan had worked for the department for years, he never aspired to be commissioner.

"I never wanted it, even when I knew that I'd make a career out of public works," Mr. Moylan said.

City Manager William J. Mulford appointed Mr. Moylan DPW commissioner in 1993 when Mr. Landers retired.

Many of his associates have left over the years, but Mr. Moylan said he has enjoyed working with so many people, including Pete Paldino, highway commissioner; Bob Fiore, assistant to the commissioner; Dan Curtis, administration and finance, and customer service, and Sharon Marzilli, administrative assistant.

"Public works is a good business," Mr. Moylan said. "It's good people."

Mr. Moylan put together Worcester's nationally recognized curbside trash and recycling program in the early 1990s.

"I've been involved in public works departments nationally," he said. "I learned from them and I hope I imparted some of our successes to other departments."

Mr. Moylan also spearheaded city cleanup efforts after major weather events, such as last winter's blizzard, the Blizzard of '78 and the ice storm of 2008. Most recently, he has been an outspoken critic of federal and state environmental water-quality mandates, which he contends have saddled local water users with high costs without significantly improving the quality of local water bodies.

"Public works is involved with every person in the city every day," Mr. Moylan said. "From the time they get up and turn on their tap and expect to get clean water, to walking on sidewalks or driving on the streets, that's public works."

Many people think of major snowstorms when they think of public works.

"The biggest snowstorm was the Blizzard of '78, without any equivocation," Mr. Moylan said. "It was the most difficult snowstorm because of the ferocity of it and the snowpack. Without the snow removal equipment we have now, it was the most challenging."

There is one thing the commissioner will not miss about snowstorms.

"I've met 13,000 people on the last street to be plowed," Mr. Moylan said. "I've yet to meet the person on the first street to be plowed."

Mr. Moylan said his management philosophy was to be inclusive, and he always liked the team approach. He said he learned a lot about himself over the years.

"I learned not to look around and not to compare (himself to others)," Mr. Moylan said. "That could drive a person crazy."

"My goal is to take three months off and not make any decisions," Mr. Moylan said, "while I try to think of what my next chapter will be."

Mr. Moylan said spending time with his three daughters and six grandchildren tops his immediate list, as well as travel.

"And as much as I like golf," Mr. Moylan said, he cannot golf all the time. "I might even go back to school. I want to learn and stay involved. I would also like to tap into some of my interests, and pursue some crafts and hobbies."

One thing is for sure, Mr. Moylan said: He will always call Worcester home.

CDL A DELIVERY DRIVERS Home Every Night! Needed for our Worcester Depot! Drive local - No more spending valuable nights away from your family! As a Direct Store Delivery Representative YOU have the opportunity to make a difference with our customers! Provide excellent customer service; interact in a positive manner with our customers; deliver our products to local stores. Be home every night! Work for a Company that has been around for over 80 years! Minimum of 3 months driving experience with CDL A/B; GED or HS diploma required; Must be able to drive a standard transmission. EEO/Veteran/Disability Growing Strong Since1933!